


Fateful Lies

by hazellepotter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Reality, Battle of Hogwarts AU, Character Death, Death, F/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Multi-Era, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pre-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Ravenclaw Hermione Granger, Time Travel, Time Turner (Harry Potter), marauders era au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazellepotter/pseuds/hazellepotter
Summary: As he took his final steps, he looked back at her and said, "Five turns should do it. The wizarding world thanks you for your sacrifice, Ms. Granger. Just remember, I will always remember you, and I'm sure others will too, just not those you would expect."
Relationships: Hermione Granger/James Potter, Mentioned Lily Evans/James Potter, mentioned Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 10
Kudos: 45





	Fateful Lies

All Hermione could hear now was her heart beating and her blood rushing through her veins. It was a peculiar sound; the kind of sound you only heard right before you died. The screams of terror from those around her had now ceased to exist, and Hermione tore her eyes away from her best friend's mangled body. She didn't know where Ron was or if he was even still alive; they had been separated hours ago in the chaos.

But Harry was dead; she knew that for sure. The war was over as quickly as it had begun. They had lost, and Hermione's last breath was starting to escape from her body. She glanced up one last time to glare into Bellatrix's eyes, and she grasped the time-turner around her neck in her hand with all the strength she could muster. The determination flowing through her veins made her realize why she had kept her time-turner a secret; it was for this moment, it was for the end.

"You have lost, Mudblood!" Bellatrix screamed for all to hear, "The Dark Lord has won! Meet your best friend's fate!"

It was nonsensical, but Hermione smiled as her eyes shut for good. All she saw behind her lids was hazel eyes she had never seen before; she only knew they made her feel safe. Maybe she smiled from exasperation, maybe it was from exhaustion, but it didn't matter as Bellatrix's curse hit her square in the chest.

It was over. 

* * *

Hermione was surprised when she opened her eyes again and saw Professor Dumbledore sitting next to her. His face was calm, like he was completely unaware of all that had just happened. It all came rushing back to Hermione as she tried to stand up, but Dumbledore led her body back to the ground next to his.

"Harry-he-he's-"

"I know," Dumbledore reassured her, "Harry Potter is dead, as are you. The horcrux in him no longer lives on, but what if I told you we could change it all?"

"I don't understand, how-"

"Voldemort's power was too strong, Ms. Granger. I was afraid this would happen and we would have to take this route. This means that we must take fate into our own hands. I see you are still wearing the time-turner I gifted you as my last dying wish."

Hermione nodded. It had been her only secret; Hermione received a note days after his passing with the time-turner wrapped around it. All the note said was to use it well, much like Harry's invisibility cloak all those years before. She knew it had to be from Dumbledore, but she had not used it. She had learned so many years before not to meddle with time, and it felt wrong to mention the gift to anyone, even to Harry.

"Professor, you told me so many years before we should never meddle with time-"

"-unless absolutely necessary," he finished for her, "And this is absolutely necessary, for the fate of the wizarding world now rests solely in your hands."

Hermione looked down to see that even in death, she was still grasping onto the time-turner around her neck. She finally released it and saw that it left an indentation in her hand; it was now a part of her as much as this war.

"But if I go back then-"

"You will save many lives, but your life will not be what it was before, if it even exists at all. That must be a risk you are willing to take."

"Why me?" She asked him, "Why am I the one to decide this?"

"Because you, Ms. Granger, will always make the right choice, no matter what it means for your own fate."

Hermione wanted to ask more questions, but he stood up to leave. As he took his final steps, he looked back at her and said, "Five turns should do it. The wizarding world thanks you for your sacrifice, Ms. Granger. Just remember, I will always remember you, and I'm sure others will too, just not those you would expect." 

Hermione parted her lips to respond, but Professor Dumbledore was already gone.

* * *

 _Five turns should do it_ , he told her. The afterlife around her started to disappear, rushing her to her decision. The walls were crumbling and her vision was fading. Professor Dumbledore was right about her, of course, she would always do what was right. She closed her eyes as she felt herself turn the time-turner. On the fifth turn, she felt the wind knocked out of her and everything went white.

* * *

Hermione's head was pounding, and she tried to sit up before opening her eyes. Two gentle hands pushed her back and a familiar voice said, "Not yet, Ms. Granger, you must rest. You had quite the fall in the Great Hall."

 _Madam Pomfrey_ , Hermione thought, _maybe it had all just been a dream._

But when she opened her eyes, the furnishings were different than she had remembered in the hospital wing. They were older, and much, much brighter. It reminded her of the photographs in her mother's old childhood home. Confused, Hermione squinted her eyes, this caused Madam Pomfrey to lean forward and put her palm on her forehead.

"You are no longer burning up, that is reassuring," she told her, "Professor Dumbledore told me that he had seen your condition before and not to fret, but he would not give me details. That man, it was rather maddening-"

"Sorry to interrupt, Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said, "But-wha-what happened?"

"Oh deary, you had quite the spell in the Great Hall this morning, I'm afraid. It must be a mix of nerves and this.. condition Dumbledore will not tell me about.. but the first steps you took into the Great Hall after your transfer from Beauxbatons made you fall and hit your head. Luckily, James Potter was there to bring you to me. The scar on your chest, it is unlike anything I have ever seen. But Professor Dumbledore reassured me that it was actually a birthmark, so I apologize for being insensitive-"

Madam Pomfrey was rambling, and that's when Hermione saw how much younger she was. There was not a wrinkle on her face, and her eyes were brighter with youth. 

The time turner had worked, she had gone back into time, and Harry's _father_ had helped her.

"May I-May I have a moment, Madam Pomfrey?" 

"Oh dear! Of course, I'm so sorry to bombard you just as you have gotten up, I have no idea what has gotten into me. I will be in my office if you need me. Please just give me a shout and do not even attempt to over-exert yourself!"

She nodded as Madam Pomfrey gently patted the top of her head and walked away to leave her alone.

Hermione realized she was the only student occupying the hospital wing, and she took that as her opportunity to collect her thoughts and explore her new surroundings.

A mirror was on her bedside table, so she picked it up to examine herself. The cuts on her face from the battle were now gone without a trace, but it was then she remembered Madam Pomfrey's mention of a scar on her chest. That was new, for Hermione had never had a scar or birthmark of any kind.

As she let the mirror's gaze trail down from her face to her neck, she started to notice discoloration.

It was bright red in color and looked inflamed, though it was not hot to the touch. As she touched it, she realized it was the shape of a lightning bolt, much like Harry's old scar on his forehead. This was different though, and she realized it was the mark of her death. Bellatrix had not created a horcrux, or otherwise she would be alive in her own time, but this must be the official mark of the Avada Kedavra curse. The thought made her shudder, and she abruptly put the mirror down on her lap. It was all too much to process. She closed her eyes.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice. Something about it was familiar, but overall, it was one she had never heard before.

"How are you holding up?"

It was a boy's voice, and she turned her head to see who he was. Hermione saw the resemblance immediately; it was Harry's father, James. The only difference between them was their eyes. James's eyes were hazel, unlike Harry's. They were also larger and brighter, and they were easier to see behind his glasses frames. They were also the eyes that Hermione had seen as she took her last breath.

Flustered, Hermione flattened her hair. It was something she always did when she was overwhelmed or nervous.

"I-I'm fine. Thank you for helping me?" She said it more like a question, though she knew it was the truth. She had heard about James Potter's reputation from Harry. The cocky type with a heart of gold. 

James smiled; it was natural for him to smile, she realized. It was not like Harry's. Harry had to work to smile, for he always had serious creases lined on his cheeks. It had to be from his trauma, she thought, and that thought made her want to cry. _Her best friend was dead._

James must have seen the tears forming in her eyes, and his brow wrinkled in concern.

"I can imagine transferring from another school during your sixth year at Hogwarts can be overwhelming," he sympathized, "I can leave you alone if you would like-"

"No," Hermione interrupted him with force, "I-I would actually like to hear more about what happened to me. I am afraid I have no memory of it."

James sat down in the chair next to her bed in the hospital wing. Hermione glanced to her right to see Madam Pomfrey peering out at them from her office attempting to know everything while giving them privacy.

"You were walking into the Great Hall with your trunk; you had just arrived from Beauxbatons to start your first day here at Hogwarts. As soon as you stepped inside and looked over at me, you fainted and hit your head. It was quite the entrance."

 _He was teasing her_ , she realized, and she rolled her eyes, "Please don't flatter yourself." But her voice shook, she blamed it on her recent losses and her new reality, but she knew it was because of James Potter. His charm was unlike anything she had ever seen. She understood immediately why Lily Evans fell in love with him. 

James now rubbed the back of his neck nervously; a habit Harry had seemed to get from his father. The resemblance in that moment made her freeze, but she didn't have time to think about it as James started to speak again.

"I-I felt like I did something. I feel responsible. I'm just happy to know you're okay-"

 _I'm not okay_ , Hermione thought, but she didn't say anything, she just nodded, "Thank you for helping me."

James looked into her eyes then and Hermione couldn't look away, not until she was forced to as he stood up. She felt her cheeks flush and looked back down at the mirror in her lap.

"Dumbledore wanted me to tell you all your things have been moved into the Ravenclaw Common Room, since you were sorted before you arrived, he said, and he would like to see you when you are feeling up to it." 

_Ravenclaw, interesting choice,_ Hermione thought, though she wasn't all too surprised. Dumbledore had been expecting her; he had always known this was her fate. She felt bile rise up her throat as she thought about what their next conversation would be. 

Her lack of response made James continue to walk away, but he glanced back at her once last time and said, "I'll see you around, Hermione Granger." 

All she could do was simply watch him go. 

* * *

Hours later, she was officially released by Madam Pomfrey to meet with Dumbledore. Madam Pomfrey was fretting, as usual, some things never changed, but Hermione convinced her she could handle the trip to his office.

Hermione uttered the password given to her by Madam Pomfrey to enter Dumbledore's office, and as she climbed the steps, she wondered if she made a mistake coming back in time.

_How could her presence here at Hogwarts with Harry's father make a difference in the wizarding world? Would she ever see her best friend again? What about Ron, the boy she loved?_

It was all too much, but she packed up the courage and let herself into Dumbledore's office. 

He was sitting at his desk; he looked remarkably younger than she had ever known him as. She was wondering if it really was him at first, but then she noticed his eyes. They were all too familiar. 

"Ms. Granger, I see you have made it."

"Yes-" Hermione started, but Dumbledore interrupted her.

"This has always been your destiny, Hermione. Ravenclaw will be a suitable place here for you in this lifetime as you expand your knowledge in order to help James Potter and the rest of the Marauders."

"I-I don't understand.. how?"

"You must gain more knowledge on Tom Riddle's past in this generation and warn James and Lily about it. You must keep tabs on upcoming Death Eaters. You must prepare the Potters for their potential death without giving away any information of your old life in order to save Harry. **You must make it so the Potters never die**. You will find unexpected allies in Ravenclaw to help you on your journey." 

"But the Potters are Gryffindors... and I-I thought magic couldn't prevent death.." 

He ignored the first part of her statement, "You won't be preventing death with magic, technically," he explained, "You will just be changing the course of events with knowledge and persuasion. You used magic to get here and you will use magic to leave, that is all."

"And where will I go after? This will change the entire course of Harry's life, along with the wizarding world. What does that mean for mine?"

Dumbledore contemplated her words for a few moments and stood up from his desk. He didn't face her as he answered her, and this is how she knew he was lying, "I do not know, Ms. Granger. I do not know." 


End file.
